Practical Sailor's gear and boat reviews take the guesswork out of your buying decisions.

Volume 31
Number 23
December 2005

Mid-Priced VHF Radios: Icom and Uniden Lead the Way

Icom's M422 wins by a hair, with feature-rich radios from Uniden, Navman, and West Marine not far behind. Uniden's UM525 is a Best Buy.

No other VHF in PS's test performed as well as the Icom 422.

We've covered both ends of the fixed-mount VHF radio spectrum: inexpensive (June 2005) and pricey (August 2005). This installment tackles the middle ground. You get the basic functions—and more—with these radios, but at a price that won't leave a hole in your wallet. The best of these moderately priced VHFs feature excellent overall transceiver performance, remote microphone capability, a basic hailer, and significant DSC features—all in a compact design.

What Was Tested

We rounded up a total of 11 VHF radios ranging from $179 to $250. Icom sent three: the M402S, M402, and M422. Navman supplied two radios: the 7100 and 7200. Raymarine shipped its 54 model. Also included were three…

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